Many electronic systems include circuits, such as switching power converters or transformers that interface with a dimmer. The interfacing circuits deliver power to a load in accordance with the dimming level set by the dimmer. For example, in a lighting system, dimmers provide an input signal to a lighting system. The input signal represents a dimming level that causes the lighting system to adjust power delivered to a lamp, and, thus, depending on the dimming level, increase or decrease the brightness of the lamp. Many different types of dimmers exist. In general, dimmers generate an output signal in which a portion of an alternating current (“AC”) input signal is removed or zeroed out. For example, some analog-based dimmers utilize a triode for alternating current (“triac”) device to modulate a phase angle of each cycle of an alternating current supply voltage. This modulation of the phase angle of the supply voltage is also commonly referred to as “phase cutting” the supply voltage. Phase cutting the supply voltage reduces the average power supplied to a load, such as a lighting system, and thereby controls the energy provided to the load.
A particular type of a triac-based, phase-cutting dimmer is known as a leading-edge dimmer. A leading-edge dimmer phase cuts from the beginning of an AC cycle, such that during the phase-cut angle, the dimmer is “off” and supplies no output voltage to its load, and then turns “on” after the phase-cut angle and passes phase cut input signal to its load. To ensure proper operation, the load must provide to the leading-edge dimmer a load current sufficient to maintain an inrush current above a current necessary for opening the triac. Due to the increase in voltage provided by the dimmer and the presence of capacitors in the dimmer, the current that must be provided is typically substantially higher than the steady state current necessary for triac conduction. Additionally, in steady state operation, the load must draw enough load current for the dimmer current to remain above another threshold known as a “hold current” needed to prevent premature disconnection of the triac.
FIG. 1 depicts a lighting system 100 that includes a triac-based leading-edge dimmer 102 and a lamp 142. FIG. 2 depicts example voltage and current graphs associated with lighting system 100. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, lighting system 100 receives an AC supply voltage VSUPPLY from voltage supply 104. The supply voltage VSUPPLY is, for example, a nominally 60 Hz/110 V line voltage in the United States of America or a nominally 50 Hz/220 V line voltage in Europe. Triac 106 acts as a voltage-driven switch, and a gate terminal 108 of triac 106 controls current flow between the first terminal 110 and the second terminal 112. A gate voltage VG on the gate terminal 108 above a firing threshold voltage value VF will cause triac 106 to turn ON, in turn causing a short of capacitor 121 and allowing current to flow through triac 106 and dimmer 102 to generate an output current iDIM.
Assuming a resistive load for lamp 142, the dimmer output voltage VΦ_DIM, represented by waveform 206, is zero volts from the beginning of each of half cycles 202 and 204 at respective times t0 and t2 until the gate voltage VG reaches the firing threshold voltage value VF. Dimmer output voltage VΦ_DIM represents the output voltage of dimmer 102. During timer period tOFF, the dimmer 102 chops or cuts the supply voltage VSUPPLY so that the dimmer output voltage VΦ_DIM remains at zero volts during time period tOFF. At time t1, the gate voltage VG reaches the firing threshold value VF, and triac 106 begins conducting. Once triac 106 turns ON, the dimmer voltage VΦ_DIM tracks the supply voltage VSUPPLY during time period tON.
Once triac 106 turns ON, the current iDIM drawn from triac 106 must exceed an attach current iATT in order to sustain the inrush current through triac 106 above a threshold current necessary for opening triac 106. In addition, once triac 106 turns ON, triac 106 continues to conduct current iDIM regardless of the value of the gate voltage VG as long as the current iDIM remains above a holding current value iHC. The attach current value iATT and the holding current value iTIC are functions of the physical characteristics of the triac 106. Once the current iDIM drops below the holding current value iHC, i.e. iDIM<iHC, triac 106 turns OFF (i.e., stops conducting), until the gate voltage VG again reaches the firing threshold value VF. In many traditional applications, the holding current value iHC is generally low enough so that, ideally, the current iDIM drops below the holding current value iHC when the supply voltage VSUPPLY is approximately zero volts near the end of the half cycle 202 at time t2.
The variable resistor 114 in series with the parallel connected resistor 116 and capacitor 118 form a timing circuit 115 to control the time t1 at which the gate voltage VG reaches the firing threshold value VF. Increasing the resistance of variable resistor 114 increases the time tOFF, and decreasing the resistance of variable resistor 114 decreases the time tOFF. The resistance value of the variable resistor 114 effectively sets a dimming value for lamp 142. Diac 119 provides current flow into the gate terminal 108 of triac 106. The dimmer 102 also includes an inductor choke 120 to smooth the dimmer output voltage VΦ_DIM. As known in the art, an inductor choke is a passive two-terminal electronic component (e.g., an inductor) which is designed specifically for blocking higher-frequency alternating current (AC) in an electrical circuit, while allowing lower frequency or direct current to pass. Triac-based dimmer 102 also includes a capacitor 121 connected across triac 106 and inductor choke 120 to reduce electro-magnetic interference.
Ideally, modulating the phase angle of the dimmer output voltage VΦ_DIM effectively turns the lamp 142 OFF during time period tOFF and ON during time period tON for each half cycle of the supply voltage VSUPPLY. Thus, ideally, the dimmer 102 effectively controls the average energy supplied to lamp 142 in accordance with the dimmer output voltage VΦ_DIM.
The triac-based dimmer 102 adequately functions in many circumstances, such as when lamp 142 consumes a relatively high amount of power, such as an incandescent light bulb. However, in circumstances in which dimmer 102 is loaded with a lower-power load (e.g., a light-emitting diode or LED lamp), such load may draw a small amount of current iDIM, and it is possible that the current iDIM may fail to reach the attach current iATT and also possible that current iDIM may prematurely drop below the holding current value iHC before the supply voltage VSUPPLY reaches approximately zero volts. If the current iDIM fails to reach the attach current iATT, dimmer 102 may prematurely disconnect and may not pass the appropriate portion of input voltage VSUPPLY to its output. If the current iDIM prematurely drops below the holding current value iHC, the dimmer 102 prematurely shuts down, and the dimmer voltage VΦ_DIM will prematurely drop to zero. When the dimmer voltage VΦ_DIM prematurely drops to zero, the dimmer voltage VΦ_DIM does not reflect the intended dimming value as set by the resistance value of variable resistor 114. For example, when the current iDIM drops below the holding current value iHC at a time significantly earlier than time t2 for the dimmer voltage VΦ_DIM 206, the ON time period tON prematurely ends at a time earlier than time t2 instead of ending at time t2, thereby decreasing the amount of energy delivered to the load. Thus, the energy delivered to the load will not match the dimming level corresponding to the dimmer voltage VΦ_Dim. In addition, when voltage VΦ_DIM prematurely drops to zero, charge may accumulate on capacitor 118 and gate 108, causing triac 106 to again refire if gate voltage VG exceeds firing threshold value VF during the same half cycle 202 or 204, and/or causing triac 106 to fire incorrectly in subsequent half cycles due to such accumulated charge. Thus, premature disconnection of triac 106 may lead to errors in the timing circuitry of dimmer 102 and instability in its operation.
Dimming a light source with dimmers saves energy when operating a light source and also allows a user to adjust the intensity of the light source to a desired level. However, conventional dimmers, such as triac-based leading-edge dimmers and trailing-edge dimmers, that are designed for use with resistive loads, such as incandescent light bulbs, often do not perform well when attempting to supply a raw, phase modulated signal to a reactive load such as an electronic power converter or transformer.
Among the solutions to these problems include various approaches whereby control circuitry of a lighting system emulates an output voltage of a dimmer in order to provide compatibility between a low-power lamp and the power infrastructure to which it is coupled. However, in many such approaches which employ dimmer output emulation, the low-power lamp may present a low impedance during the phase cut period of the dimmer, which may lead to a small average direct current in the low-power lamp with some dimmers, which may cause flicker, may cause other elements of a lighting system (e.g., a transformer) to overheat, or may cause other undesirable effects, especially when many low-power lamps are coupled to the dimmer.